The Story Behind the Man Found Dead in Ed Buck’s Laurel Avenue Apartment

Timothy M. Dean, the 55-year-old African-American man found dead on Monday in the Laurel Avenue apartment of Ed Buck, has been identified as an employee of Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, a member of the National Gay Basketball Association and a recently baptized member of OneLA, a religious group based at the Potters House Church on La Brea Avenue.

Hole Hunter’s tattoos (Screenshot from “Jockstrap Worship” video)

However, a source has told WEHOville that Dean also is known in porn circles by the name of “Hole Hunter.”

IAFD, the Internet Adult Film Database, lists Hole Hunter as a performer in 18 adult films. Its profile of Hole Hunter includes a photo of Dean. The first Hole Hunter film listed, “Dark Chocolate Cravings 2,” was released in 2007. The last one listed, “Interracial Public Pickups 3,” was released in 2016. All films show Hole Hunter having sex with other boys and men. The scenes show unique tattoos on Horn Hunter’s left arm and on the inside of his right arm that are identical to those on Dean’s arms.

Before Dean’s identity was made public, Seymour Amster, Buck’s attorney, told the Los Angeles Times that the man found dead in the apartment at 1234 Laurel Ave. “was an old friend who died of an accidental overdose, and unfortunately, we believe that the substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment. The person came over-intoxicated.”

Hole Hunter (Magnus Porn)

In an interview with KTLA-5, Ottavio Taddei, Dean’s roommate for three years, said “he was a wonderful person … I lived with him, and he never did drugs. I’ve never seen him on drugs, ever.”

The relationship between the black porn performer and Buck, an affluent 64-year-old white man known for his donations to Democratic party candidates and his animal rights activism, adds another element to a story that has gotten coverage worldwide. That coverage began with death in Buck’s apartment in May 2017 of Gemmel Moore, a 26-year-old African-American sex worker of what was ruled a methamphetamine overdose. In his diary, Moore had written that Buck had once injected him with the highly addictive and dangerous drug and had paid him to let him do so.

A woman from the coroner’s office with the body of Timothy Dean, found dead on Jan. 7 at Ed Buck’s apartment at 1234 Laurel Ave.

In the weeks and months after Moore’s death, young black escorts came forward to describe their experiences with Buck, and one provided a video of his encounter at Buck’s apartment.

Black activists have called for a reopening of the investigation into Moore’s death, where the L.A. District Attorney’s Office said it did not find sufficient evidence to support allegations that Buck was responsible for Moore’s death. And they have called for a more aggressive investigation into Dean’s death.

“The deaths of Gemmel Moore and the young man who died Monday are beyond tragic, however, because they’re both black gay men justice is not prevailing,” said David Johns, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Black Justice Coalition, in a statement released before Dean and his age had been identified and made public.

Johns called it “public knowledge that Ed Buck was allegedly giving young black gay men harmful drugs long before this second young man died in his home,” and added that it was also his hope “that these tragic event encourage conversation about the fact that the lives of black gay men are not disposable.”

Johns also said that any violence against black people “must be confronted with the full might of justice at our disposal.”

“This is especially true at a time where the nation’s commander in chief is using identity politics to divide and score political points,” Johns’ statement continued.

There also has been a call for politicians who have received donations from Buck to give that money to various causes ranging from the NAACP, to gay rights groups to Justice4Gemmel, which was organized by Jasmyne Cannick, the media strategist, and Moore’s mother, LaTisha Nixon.

U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) has announced that he will do that, donating $5,000 each to Lambda Legal and the NAACP, $3,000 each to GLAAD and The Trevor Project, and $2,500 to the Equality California Institute. Each of the current members of the West Hollywood City Council has received donations from Buck with the exception of Councilmember Lindsey Horvath. Those donations have ranged from $14,000 to various campaigns for Mayor John Duran to a total of $1,000 for two of Councilmember John D’Amico’s election campaigns.

A neighbor in the Laurel Avenue building said he saw Dean enter Buck’s apartment shortly after midnight on Monday. Paramedics responded to a 911 call to find Dean dead at 1 a.m. Monday morning. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau is investigating the incident and has said it would take a new look at Gemmel Moore’s death as well.

His roommate probably never saw him do drugs beecause he chose to keep that to himself.

8 months ago

Guest

Celestine

I did not need to know the details of porn videos – unless you want to skewer readers’ perception of this man’s life. Serious journalism or gossip? In any case, I find your report unkind and somewhat cruel to put so much emphasis on such a small detail in his life.

8 months ago

Guest

Barton Fink

I think it is somewhat responsible to state that the video showed him having sex with boys. That phrase suggests criminal activity.

Boy’s was just used in the title all actors in his videos have 2257 forms proving they were of age on file per notices at the beginning of each video.

8 months ago

Guest

Mark

Timothy did porn, SO WHAT! Find Come out from behind the curtin staff writers. My friend Timothy Michael Dean is dead. That is the only fact known. The toxicology report has not been released so who says it was meth-drugs? The man who is know to give people drugs? Think about that.

His life of adult film making is irrelevant. I hope you sleep well trashing the reputation of a deceased man. He was so much more than the 18 adult films you listed. If shame is what you were working to get. The shame is on you for tabloid journalism.

8 months ago

Guest

HotMessWeho

There are consequences for making bad life choices. Maybe people could stop having fake shock that someone could die from a drug overdose, whether accidental or intentional. Personally, I don’t think there is such a thing as an accidental drug overdose. I’m sorry the guy is dead, but I won’t pretend to be shocked or surprised playing with drugs could end in death. I could be wrong, but I suspect Ed Buck won’t even be arrested for this death. Maybe Ed Buck could put that infamous tool chest, and its contents up on eBay, as it might fetch enough to… Read more »

8 months ago

Guest

J Simmons

Honestly, I was THRILLED to see this story covered in the major networks local TV news.

It’s up to proper law enforcement to investigate, but being “heard” is often the only way justice begins.

8 months ago

Guest

Jonathan C. Harris

It’s telling how the writer here pares down the majority of Mr. Dean’s life (job, hobby, faith) into one compound sentence but then takes a huge paragraph to whisperingly describe his experience in the adult entertainment industry. It reads like some dishy queen slobberingly exposing an ex’s dirty, little secret over mojitos to an equally sodden bar regular at the Gold Coast. And, I hold, it’s presented here in such a way as to intentionally make a hard-working, social man of faith into yet another disposable piece of garbage. And for people like “joeschmoe” above to sanctimoniously weigh judgement over… Read more »

8 months ago

Guest

Joe

Seriously, continuing with what SE said above, why on earth would you include the porno screenshots? Uncouth.

8 months ago

Guest

Alison Laurie

I live in the apartment building next to the one Mr. Dean lived in. In my encounters with Mr. Dean, I found him to be a friendly, outgoing man who dressed impeccably. I would have never guessed he lived a lifestyle described in this article. When outside, I would often hear music coming from his apartment. He had a great taste in music. I am sad to hear of his passing, especially in this manner.

I hope the Sheriff’s Department does a full investigation into his death.

8 months ago

Guest

JoeSchmoe

Ed Buck is no innocent. But, let me be clear, neither is someone who knowingly places themselves around someone known to participate in one of the deadliest, drug filled lifestyles around. Tim was a nice guy, I knew him as an acquaintance/neighbor. He was no “boy” nor a “black man to be taken advantage of”. To blame anyone, but him, for his death is pure BS. Gemel Moore was a hooker who chose to live in that world. He was not 16…he was an adult that makes choices like all adults, young or old. Ed Buck appears to have lived… Read more »

8 months ago

Guest

SE

It would seem to me that this person was not just a porn performer, basketball player, or a retail worker. I imagine he’s also a son, brother, uncle, etc…It would be nice to include some of those personal, human details too. Imagine being a friend or family member and reading this objectifying piece. Have a heart – people are grieving.

8 months ago

Guest

JoeSchmoe

SE, I agree. But, this happens because we snarl at it in public with a wink. Hard drugs like meth is radiation in a needle. What is the root cause? It is NOT OK that people like these two men die because of it. It is also not OK for people to ignore these choices. Tim and Gemmel were human beings who would be alive today if we did not have this scourge and the environment that allows it. They are not the first and sadly will not be the last to die from it.